painting wooden spoons!

Yesterday was STRESSful for me. I know I will sound like a complete wuss but it was. Aaron had his first dentist visit and came out with SIX cavities. :( That completely bums me out for him. Add to that the verbal scolding I feel like I got from the dentist and his helper and I was in the pits yesterday. It completely baffles me...Moses and Aaron have the same diet essentially and one has perfect teeth and the other apparently inherited both my super soft teeth and Doug's close together teeth. Not a nice combo for keeping cavities away.

I felt like the doctor didn't believe me when he asked...well does he drink a lot of juice? Does once every few days count? Does he eat a lot of candy? Does a couple times a month count? Don't give him food or drink after brushing teeth before bed. Never done that. Don't let him have soda. Has never happened. Does he eat a lot of those "kid" yogurts? Never. I swear they went down the whole list and I could say with conviction that my kids don't eat a bunch of junk. It has to be genetics. Were any of your kids that way?

Anyway...I'm happy to have dental insurance and I am thankful that they are baby teeth. And I am making Doug take him for the fillings.

Yesterday seemed like a good day to tackle this project. After seeing it on House of Earnest, I just knew my wooden utensils were meant for greater things. I gathered them up, scuffed the shiny ones a little with sandpaper and painted myself a rainbow.

Once they are dry they will be coated with a layer of food/baby/people safe shellac. I used regular non-toxic craft paint and was sure to keep my painted area pretty far from where it would come in contact with food on a regular basis.

75 comments:

Aww, poor hoho (and mommy)! I know where you are coming from though. I have soft teeth and growing up I had a ton of fillings. And Parker is following in my foot steps. We floss everyday, brush twice a day, no juice or anything and he still ended up with a cavity and had to get a filling last month. We got his "big boy teeth" sealed so I hope that helps him. Don't beat yourself up! You do all that you can.

So Sorry Crystal. Yes I do believe genes play a big part in your dental wellness. I came from a family who regularly went to the dentist, twice a year for cleanings didn't eat a bunch of junk, yet had cavities. My husband on the other hand loves his soda and has never had a single cavity. This last dentist trip I got the lecture from the dentist about foods that are horrible for your teeth, and what not to let your children eat, which like you I don't do either. While I kindly agreed but the back of my mind I was thinking that there are other factors that influence it too. I think your painted spoons were the perfect project for a day like that. Just seeing them improved my mood today.

Crystal, dont let your dentist make you feel bad. I work in the dental field and all of my kids have had cavities at a young age. Kids do seem to inherit their teeth from their parents. As for those spoons, I will be painting mine this weekend! I LOVE that idea! So fun!

This sounds SO much like our first dentist appointment last month. My son is 3 and he sometimes has juice with breakfast, but then we do water. No soda. Rarely do we eat sweets (he doesn't even like chocolate). We brush every night and most mornings. Yet - SEVEN cavities. Seven. I cried in the dentist's office. For real. (I'm pregnant, so I blamed it on that.) Now he has to be sedated for his fillings and I just feel like the worst mom ever. But yes, I have super soft teeth and always had a ton of cavities growing up. Genetics. Blah.

Ugh nothing like a dentist appointment to make us mom's feel even more inadequate. My poor kids have all had little cavities filled and a few big ones too. I really just wish the dentist people wouldn't be so belittling to us poor moms, we beat ourselves up about enough already. Please know you are not alone. And super cute spoons!

I could have written this same exact post about the dentist!! My three year is in the same boat and I was so embarrassed and felt like the worst mom. I could have answered the dentist's questions just as you did, but to no avail - cavitites!! ARGH!! I need some good dental tips and tricks to keep the cavities away. Oh, and my husband is also taking my son for his fillings...hehe!

Crystal dear, I hate dentists, they are cruel sometimes lol. I don't like them when they work on my teeth... but had one daughter who has NEVER had a cavity... and one who had ten by the time she was 4! She had to go to pediatric dentist... who drugged her, then let her cry and scream while she worked on her (dentist told me she was asleep!) Needless to say... I went back to be with her... they neither one got many sweets, or soda growing up. But youngest one (1 with all cavities) had asthma from the time she was four months old... to date. I think all of the steriods they put her on had alot to do with it... but what do you do? Sorry dentist was so belittling! (Do their kids ever have cavities? Do they work on their own kids so they don't have to have that sermon? Just makes you wonder sometimes...)Don't let em bug you!!I love your spoons and great way to brighten your day!!

I'm 26 and still deal with the fact that I got my dad's teeth genes. My two older sisters NEVER had cavities. It was a good dentist visit for me if I only had ONE. shoot. I had a root canal in 3rd grade! You're not doing anything wrong. Somehow I still love going to the dentist. Hopefully your son feels the same way.....I might have been bribed with little treats for my bravery.

I have five kids and one of them has the WORST teeth. He's a twin so he and his twin have the same routine ... I help them brush, I floss them, we do anti-cavity rinse, and still he gets cavities while his twin has none. He even has caps on three of his baby molars and they make me feel so guilty! And we're the same ... no fruit snacks, no soda, no hard candy. Sometimes it really is just genetics.

Oh... I've just read through all these comments after I read your post.My stomach is all tied up in knots. My daughter's first dentist appointment is in two weeks... Oh dear...I don't even know what else to say.Thanks for the warning. I'm just still so confused at this whole mommy thing. What else can I be bad at?

(Okay, I also wanted to say that I love these spoons. You have a beautiful collection.)

I'm in the same dental boat. My kidlet's teeth were deteriorating as soon as they came in. When I took him to the dentist I was told about the dangers of bottle rot... but he'd never had a bottle in his life and was completely breast fed. At one doctors appointment a nurse actually said to my son "What have you done to your teeth!" And I politely told her that he was seeing a specialist (who had said if they weren't bothering him to leave them alone) but what I felt like doing was slapping her. It's totally genetic and I'll be damned if I let any more dental "professionals" lecture me (or my kiddo) on something he can't control. Christ, would we be nagged for any other physical disorder that couldn't be helped? No. Good lord but I hate dentists.

I have the same problem with my son. But his dentist actually told me that "bad teeth" are genetic. My hubby has bad teeth and so does my son. Cheer up! I feel the same way after each visit to the dentist!

Beyond adorable!!! So sorry for you and hoho's poor teeth:( But yes you are lucky you have dental ins (we don't, man it sucks!) And I would so send my husb to take him to get fillings:) I used to have to have him take some them for vaccines. Keep the inspiration coming Crystal - you are too impressive!!

These are so adorable! I think I'm going to make some for a friend for a wedding gift. She would love these!

And I'm sorry so about the dentist. That sucks and wasn't nice of the dentist to lecture you. (Although some parents do probably need it.) It's probably very much genetics. My best friend's brothers had the same things going on. The older one almost never brushed his teeth, ate tons of sweets and drank soda, (they were in their teens when I knew them, so they controlled more of their own diet) and never had cavities. The younger one avoided those things and brushed his teeth religiously and had cavities all the time. I can still remember Pete whining about how unfair it was haha.

I have one kiddo with perfect beautiful teeth - although now that the permanent ones are coming in, they are a bit wonky ;) My second kiddo got the bad genes teeth. 2 came in as little nubs that quickly started to decay - they've been removed. She also has had several other cavities.

Love the spoons! I have fiesta ware - in all the colors. My spoons will be painted. Thanks for the fabulous idea via your link on pinterest!

~Gorgeous Spoons!~I know you already got the lecture from your dentist but did they talk to you about grazing? Every time food enters the mouth, it alters the ph levels which basically increases the acid levels in the mouth. Acid very quickly attacks teeth and breakdown of the enamel begins. Kids that are 'grazers' are constantly increasing the acidity. (it takes 20min after eating for the acid levels to return to normal) If this is a habit your child may have, try to reduce the frequency of snackig and offer them cheese after their snack because cheese will help balance the ph in their mouth. As well, carbohydrate foods put kids at an increased risk of getting cavities... cookies, crackers, chips etc stick into the tooth grooves and being a carbohydrate... break down into "sugar"... which sits on the tooth surface for long periods of time quickly breaking down the enamel.It's great that your child doesn't get candy frequently. A little treat of plain dark chocolate can act as a treat and as a cavity fighter... (pure cocoa has been known to fight cavities!)Because the teeth are tight together, the real answer is "floss"... but I'm sure you already had that ear full!! Good luck!!!

Hi, I saw your awesome post on Pinterest, and I'm a new follower now. :) Don't beat yourself up. Once had a dentist berate me for having a whole load of cavities after pregnancy. He told me the whole pregnancy/cavity thing was a myth & that my problem was poor hygiene. I never had but 2 or 3 cavities in my life before that, so I found it hard to believe... when I told my OB/GYN about it, he laughed and said "OF COURSE it was from pregnancy, that's why women get osteoporosis in later years & dental issues after having babies. I got a better dentist after that, and he said that ALL dental issues (gums, teeth, etc.) are "99.99999% hereditary" so you can bet if your sone inherited those traits, that it has nothing to do with his diet! Hang in there! I really love this project; what a great way to brighten the kitchen without spending money on new utensils. Will definitely try with my wooden spoons. :)

I just read an article about the fact that kids are drinking less tap water which has the fluoride in it we need to prevent tooth decay/cavities. More and more of us are turning to bottled water as the #1 choice. Makes you think all that water straight from the hose wasn't so bad afterall lol ;) Very nice DIY!

I had the same kind of dental problems as a kid. I had good dental hygiene and a good diet, too. Eventually, my mom got desperate and made me brush my teeth immediately after every time I ate or drank anything that wasn't water (that came to 4 or 5 times a day) with a very soft toothbrush. It was a pain, but it did help.

It really sucks when you are doing everything you can to help keeps your kids safe and healthy and then something like this happens. I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience.

I have hypoplasia. My daughter does too. It is a lack of enamel on our teeth. Her having it has nothing to do with me having it.

It has everything to do with both of us having incredibly high fevers when we were very young.

I just took her to the dentist last week. She's 7. Her "six year molars" literally came in WITH cavities already in them. Impossible? Apparently not. The fourth one is peeking, but not through the gum yet. The xray shows that it already has problems. The other three are brown & grey & very soft. She has to go back next month to get caps (pretty princess teeth, according to her) on the three & later for other one after its fully in.

She had RSV as an older infant & the dentist (who's also an oral surgeon) said the same thing that I've been told many times in my life. Hypoplasia. He even knew at what age different teeth are formed and asked what was going on in her life around x amount of months. I was like... wha???

Crazy meds can do some bizarre stuff to our teeth too.

My brother never had very high fevers & I swear didn't brush his teeth between 2nd and 11th grades... but pretty sure he's never had a cavity.

My mouth is mostly made up of metal & porcelain and like other commenters, I have been quite crazy about keeping my teeth clean & I'm not a grazer.

I was the kid with the good teeth, my sister had the rotten teeth--she had to get caps on her baby teeth just so she could eat. I liked going to the dentist, because I got to sit in the foyer and play with the toys while they tortured my sister. AND I got the same holographic sticker as a reward.

I love this idea for wooden utinsles--I might just have to swing by a thrift store and see what I can pick up in that department. And I'm imagining a bunch made with new spoons etc, as a housewarming gift. Thanks for the great idea!

i have five kids. My oldest four are 13, 17, 19, and 20 and have NEVER had a single cavity (or sealants for that matter). My youngest, who is only 3, has had a bajiilion cavities. Three teeth have had to be pulled, they rotted so badly and quickly. All kids have had the same pediatric dentist, so he knows that I'm not an irresponsible mother. He tells me it is the bacteria in her mouth. The body's ability to keep the bacteria in a controlled state is somewhat genetic. It can also be affected by other people who give the child the bacteria, so if someone with a lot of cavities shares his/her bacteria, it can spread to the child. The one thing our dentist wants us to change is to have my daughter graze less. He says that every time you eat, your mouth PH becomes acidic, then gradually goes back to neutral. Grazers never give their mouth a chance to return to PH neutral. I'll admit, my youngest does graze, partly because she eats so many vegetables and fruits, she doesn't get enough calories to run on for very long. So I'm trying to get her to start having a bit more protein and fat with her meals in hopes that she can go longer without getting hungry. Also, sugarless gum with xylitol is really good right after meals, for preventing cavities.

Love, love this project, I'm off to buy some wooden spoons to paint! As for display: maybe a plain, clear, glass jar (or something) to hold them. A "bouquet" of spoons with the real focal point inside the "vase"!

Sorry about the bad news at the dentist. I have also been told what Maureen said above. And, someone else mentioned sealants on permanent teeth. Our pediatric dentist does not do sealants. He said that he did his research project during his pediatrics training on sealants, and he is against them. His reasons are that in order to completely seal the teeth, each tooth has to be completely dry at the time. He said that's next to impossible, so there will be little holes in the coverage. The holes allow bacteria in, and then they get under the sealant, making big cavities where nobody can brush them. He says sealing the permanent teeth make for worse cavities later. If you are considering getting your child's teeth sealed, do more research before you have it done.

As for cavities -- my daughter had leukemia and went through months of being to sick to brush, acid in her mouth from vomiting, etc. So she ended up with 4 cavities on her first dentist visit and ended up needing a tooth pulled. Well, I blamed it on the chemo and we continued our routine of brushing, flossing, and swishing. Then, at the next visit, my son (who has always brushed, flossed, swished, we have minimal candy, never drink juice unless at restaurant) has THREE cavities! So needless to say my "blame it on chemo" excuse was out the window!!

The funny thing is that I had the same reaction when both kids ended up with cavities. Like it is a failure. But, you know, we're lucky to have dentists who can fix these things and a set of baby teeth that they can "practice" on before the adult ones come in :)

My sister has the same problem with two of her three children. Her dentist told her that no amount of brushing and flossing is going to help because the enamel is damaged on the teeth. He told her that when children have high fevers (104F) before age 1, they've found that it damages their enamel and they are susceptible to many cavities. Maybe that's your son's issue?

Hi there! I just found your blog! Love it! My husband has terrible teeth (seriously, terrible) I have been so worried that my children's teeth will be terrible too. One day I came across this book at Amazon: Cure Tooth Decay. What? Really? I was intrigued and bought it. It's about a dentist in the 1930s or so that traveled around the world and visited a variety of people. He found groups of people with No Teeth Decay. None! No need for braces, no cavities...excellent teeth. Great book. You'll think twice about the typical American diet. Here's the link http://www.amazon.com/Cure-Tooth-Decay-Cavities-Nutrition/dp/1434810607/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332189490&sr=8-1 Sorry for the super long post. New follower! You can visit me at http://raisingdieter.blogspot.com/

Love this project! Don't feel bad, I'm one of those people whose genetics cause issues with teeth. Every time I go in there's a new cavity but the hygienist is has nothing but good things to say about my dental hygiene and that she can see I take good care of my teeth and gums. Some people are just unlucky that way.

you could try adding black walnut drops to water for your child, or even using it as a rinse instead of mouthwash. i was so sick of going to the dentist and being accused of not flossing, or not brushing well, when i am very anal about doing both of those things. i started using black walnut as a rinse, and the results have been dramatic improvement. of course, my dentist doesn't believe it, but as long as my teeth are healthy is all that matters to me. i've spent a lot of time researching and have switched to a completely holistic teeth cleaning regimen. the spaces between my teeth are very tight, and i had tons of cavities as a kid, even though i brushed all the time.

"Soft teeth" is genetic. The dentist can prescribe a toothpaste that has a higher fluoride content and/or you can buy a mouthwash that specifically has additional fluoride (like ACT) to protect your teeth better.

First of all, I have to say that I love the verse you have on your comment form :) I also love the spoons and plan to do it soon as well!

As for cavities, I have horrible teeth that I apparently inherited so brushing/flossing/rinsing just doesn't cut it. I've been looking for alternatives to having a mouth full of fillings and came across this link on Pinterest today: http://www.naturalnews.com/033854_cavities_remedies.html#ixzz1aghr1YT1 It sounds like an easy remedy and I'm certainly going to give it a try along with the coconut oil pulling that one of the commentators mentions. I completely believe that our bodies are fully capable of healing all of problems using the wholesome things that God has covered our earth with. He does provide for ALL our needs! Thought you might be as intrigued by the article as I was. I'm headed to the store tomorrow! :)

Love your spoons, & great photo, I want to try it. I see someone else mentioned this, but I want to second the recommendation to read Cure Tooth Decay. I borrowed it from the library recently and it was an eye-opener to say the least - there is so much about the way dental health functions that dentists don't tell us and/or aren't even taught themselves. The author may come across as a bit nutty, but it's a good book anyway. http://www.curetoothdecay.com/

Spoons look awesome!Had the same issue with my Son! When he started getting permanent teeth they put him on a prescription toothpaste made by 3M and he hasn't had an issue since! Ask your dentist about it!!

I wanted to alert you - I saw your rainbow spoons pinned by Pinterest spammers with your URL stripped off. (I just remembered when I went to my boards view... Your image is my "title" pin on my Rainbow board).

Unfortunately, I can't find where I saw the pins right now... Sorry, I'm not being very helpful here... Will let you know if I find anything.

I was cursed with bad teeth form my mom (who got hers from my grandpa). I can brush, floss, and rinse without missing and wear my mouth guard to bed every night (I grind my teeth in my sleep) and still no hope! Both mf my sisters had crooked but strong teeth while I have straight but weak. The dentist loves me though, it helps that he understands that it’s not my fault but I continue to get lectured every time I go in by the dental assistants! I just gets old! I hope my kids get my husband’s perfect teeth!

First of all, the spoons are amazing! That idea will definitely come in to use in our household. :)

When it comes to the dentist stuff, don't feel bad! It sounds like you are doing everything that you can to prevent him from getting cavities, so there is no reason to beat yourself up. :)

I got a bit exited about all this teeth talk, so I just have to comment one thing. It won't help you with your son, but it might help others with smaller children. :)

The simple explanation to why we get cavities is the caries bacteria in out mouth. It's something that babies are NOT born with, it's transmitted from other people - usually from your parents. And once you get it you will never get rid of it, no matter how much you brush or floss.

I always knew about caries making cavities, but here is the interesting fact I learned few years ago: everyone doesn't have it! And if you don't have it, you will never get cavities - even if you never brush your teeth and eat junk all the time.

Caries bacteria is transmitted through spit. So for example, if you clean a baby's pacifier in your mouth, let him/her lick your ice cream or give food with the same spoon you have used, you are transmitting the bacteria to your baby. In other words, everything that has been in contact with your spit should be hold away from your baby's mouth. The risk of getting the bacteria is at it's greatest when the baby is under 3 years old, after that his/her own immune system is (somewhat) able to fight the bacteria. The longer she/he can avoid it, the better (the risk of getting it gets smaller).

So in other words: if your baby never gets the bacteria, he/she will not get cavities, no matter how bad teeth he/she has inherited! :) If the child does however get the bacteria, then genetics, teeth hygienic (brushing, flossing etc.) and eating habits determine how many cavities he/she will get. Some get very few and some a whole mouth full. (I'm sure genetics have a big role in it.)

In the country where I live, all pregnant mothers are educated about caries bacteria and how it transmits. I tried my very best to avoid giving it to my daughter (I have cavities so I know I have it) when she was a baby. I don't know if I succeeded, but now she is almost 4 and has no cavities. :) I don't think the genetics are that great (her father has bad teeth and mine aren't that great either), we never floss and could improve her eating habits (she doesn't eat lots of junk, but she does get candy couple times a week and does drink juices almost every day).

Couple other things about teeth that I try to keep in mind:

- Teeth can take up to 5 acid attacks a day, no more. And every time you eat or drink ANYTHING else than water (even bubbly water) is an acid attack.

- Some acidic foods (like juices and apples) soften the enamel in your teeth temporarily, so you should ALWAYS wait at least 30 min after eating before you brush your teeth. Otherwise you will just brush away the very thing that protects your teeth.

- The best way to stop the acid attack in your mouth after eating is having a piece of (sugarless) xylitol gum or pill after every meal. It also has been proven that using xylitol daily prevents children from getting otitis. :)

Sorry for the 'lecture', I just had to write it down when I felt that I have some info that could be useful to other people as well. :)

The concept of soft teeth unfortunately is a myth. 99% of people who get many cavities don't have bad teeth, they have bad bacteria.

I'm in dental school and even the daughter of a dentist, but I had cavities galore because I just don't know how to take care of my teeth. Knowing what we do now about prevention, I could have prevented all of my cavities... :( And yes, I have always brushed twice a day and flossed, but it wasn't enough. And I'll admit right now that I have 11 fillings.

Kids get cavities initially because caries (the disease that causes cavities) is an INFECTIOUS disease. It is the number one disease in children. The worse the bacteria and oral hygiene are, the bigger the impact on a mouth.

Not to make moms out there feel bad, but you are the most likely candidate for vertical transmission of your mouth bacteria to your children. Odds are you gave your child your oral bacteria by the age of 6-12 months the moment you licked their pacifier or tested their food. But, if you use xylitol sugar, it will significantly lessen you chances of giving your child bad bacteria.

Even I used the "soft teeth" card growing up, but now I realize I wasn't doing enough. So if you have "soft teeth", it really just means the bacteria in your mouth are having a field day. :( My pediatric dentistry professors explain how most parents rationalize rampant cavities as "soft teeth" because they don't understand the disease part of caries.

Also, children don't have the correct and proper manual dexterity to brush their own teeth until about the age of 6 or 7 (when they can tie their own shoes is a good indicator if they can do a good brushing job). And you should supervise your children's brushing until about age 12. If you're worried, just get an electric toothbrush because this will give your child a more consistent brushing. The right electric toothbrush can do up to a 40% better job than a manual brush.

Very few people genetically have "soft teeth" and it's usually due to some rare disease such as ectodermal dysplasia (and the dentist would tell you if something was up because a child should see the dentist when their first tooth comes in or by the age of 12 months).

Yes, some people do have mouths where the teeth are less likely to get cavities. These people have less harmful bacteria, produce saliva that can re-establish proper pH in their mouth faster, intake more fluoride, or have better eating and oral hygiene.

If your child has many cavities, you need to change their regimen, stop snacking in-between meals, lower the sticky sugar intake (within reason - I'm not the sugar police), and supervise brushing!

Sadly, any time sugar goes in your mouth, you mouth is at a low enough pH for cavity formation for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Now just imagine what drinking a bottle of soda or juice over the course of an hour will do (and yes, I drink the occasional soda, too).

Now I regularly get fluoride treatments, snack on things in-between meals that bacteria can't eat to produce acid, and I use xylitol regularly (please look into this moms with babies - you're saving you kids a lifetime of cavities sometimes). Bacteria cannot eat the sugar xylitol and so they will not produce acid or lower your mouth's pH to the point where holes form in your teeth due to loss of minerals. Xylitol actually can mess up bacteria from multiplying too, and lower the numbers of bacteria in the mouth. It's a win-win.

With just a few changes, I haven't had a cavity in years. :D I have a filling in every tooth because of my poor habits growing up, but with what dentistry knows now, proper prevention can eliminate 90% of cavities.

Please bring your child to the dentist or pediatric dentist by age 1 - that way, good oral hygiene habits start early. :D

Oh my word. Thank you for confessing your dental troubles because I recently had the same experience with both of my boys. They only eat candy occasionally. They drink milk, not juice (and never soda). We floss, brush, and do fluoride every night and brush every morning. Check, check, check on down the list. But I still got the judgmental stares and the comments suggesting I must not be caring for their teeth properly. Grrr. Anyway, I'm glad that you shared so I don't feel so alone. And then you topped it off with a fantastic project! I'm certain my wooden utensils need some dressing up. :)

About the dentist...my 13 year old drinks way too much juice, always has...I doubt he brushes all that well and he has no cavities...how is that even possible? Believe me...I'm not bragging...I'm just saying it's not your fault!

Love these spoons! And I don't have kids, but I was/still am like this with my teeth. I always brushed, didn't eat a bunch of junk, rarely had pop, etc. BUT my teeth have TONS of tiny crevices, are close together, and my mouth is SMALL, making brushing and flossing the back teeth difficult. My dentist has always blamed any cavities I've had on my actual teeth and not my brushing or eating habits, so no worries! It IS genetics!

I remember taking my kids to their first "grown-up" dentist appointment after 10 years of faithfully going to the paediatric dentist. My kids didn't have a lot of junk food, always brushed their teeth etc. etc. The new dentist found 5 cavities in my daughter's teeth and 8 in my son's. How can that be when they had just been to the dentist 6 months beforehand? I took them back to the paediatric dentist who said they only had 1 each. A third dentist found 3 and 2. I never knew that cavities were so subjective!!! I've been skeptical ever since.

I have 4 kids, they all eat the same but one of them has soft teeth. She's got a mouth full of silver crowns. She's been losing some of her baby teeth, though, and her permanent teeth don't seem to have any problems. I hope it works that way for your son!

Funny thing! I read your post here yesterday, then read this today: a story of one mom and how she used cod liver oil and butter oil to get her kid's teeth ok again - http://www.mommypotamus.com/giveaway-fermented-cod-liver-oil/

When I was a little girl the dentist gave me fillings to teach me the importance of looking after my teeth....No need to stress about the fact he has cavities in his baby teeth for this will provide the grounding for your little one to brush his teeth just a tiny bit longer next time :) He will be okay - it could have been a trip to the dr with news not so easy to digest (pun not intended :))Love your tutorial...lovely!

Hey Crystal, Unfortunately the original page of the idea no longer exists. Can you tell me what paints you used and the specifics to how you made them so even and pretty? I would love to do this and have several other great things this would work well for.

Hi there, I came to this page because of the spoons, but I decided to comment because I thought you might want to check for low vitamin D levels.Just remember how bad it would have been if you HAD given your child a lot of juice and candy. Then you KNOW you did the best for your child, and that's what really matters.

I would ignore the dentist if I were you. I have one kid with perfect teeth and another who inherited my small, closely-fitted teeth that have deep grooves. According to my dentist the deep grooves in the teeth cause a lot of cavities. All of my teeth were proactively filled when I was a kid to prevent cavities because food is extremely hard to clear from the grooves. My daughter's teeth were sealed. A dentist worth their salt would recognize this so you should definitely consider switching dentists. It's their job to educate parents, not lecture them.

To Debi who has a kid with asthma, my pediatrician told me to have my kids rinse their mouths after using the inhaled steroids, because apart from potentially causing thrush, there is evidence that inhaled corticosteroids affect the teeth.

Love, love, love these spoons. I am going to check out our thrift stores for some wooden utensils so I can do this project.An the teeth issue. I had cavities all the time as a kid. Had 8 crowns done during my 1st pregnancy. and 5 with the second. After the third they wanted to crown all my teeth and I said just pull them all. So happy I only have to see the dentist when I need new teeth. At least I kept my teeth 15 years longer than my mom. It's all genetic.

Love, love, love these spoons. I am going to check out our thrift stores for some wooden utensils so I can do this project.An the teeth issue. I had cavities all the time as a kid. Had 8 crowns done during my 1st pregnancy. and 5 with the second. After the third they wanted to crown all my teeth and I said just pull them all. So happy I only have to see the dentist when I need new teeth. At least I kept my teeth 15 years longer than my mom. It's all genetic.

Hi, I have been dying to try this! Yours turned out beautiful. But I am wondering, now that quite a bit of time has gone by, how do they hold up after months of washing (by hand)?? I would really appreciate anyone who has tried it's response! :)Thanks!